How to order fajitas and margaritas for a game day group in Dallas

Game day has a way of turning a normal weekend into a reason to get everyone together.

The television is on, the group chat is active, someone is already arguing about the score before kickoff, and suddenly you’re responsible for figuring out what everyone is going to eat.

For a Dallas gathering, fajitas are an easy place to start.

They’re designed for sharing, give guests some choice and work naturally with the appetizers, sides and margaritas that make a Mexican meal feel complete. The trick is knowing how to build the order without either under-ordering or ending up with far more food than the table needs.

Here’s how to approach it.

Start with the group, not the menu

Before opening the menu, think about who’s actually coming.

A casual gathering with four or five people can be handled very differently from a watch party with 15 or 20 guests. The bigger the group becomes, the more useful it is to think about the food as a shared spread rather than ordering individual meals.

It also helps to consider the preferences around the table.

Some guests may want steak. Others may prefer chicken or seafood. Someone may not eat meat at all. And not everyone will necessarily be drinking margaritas.

That doesn’t mean you need to create a completely different meal for everyone.

Instead, build a menu with enough variety for people to find something they enjoy.

RJ Mexican Cuisine’s current menu offers several fajita combinations, including chicken, steak, shrimp, vegetables and mushroom, along with combination options.

Choose two or three fajita options

You don’t need to order every protein available.

For most groups, the better approach is to choose a few options that give everyone some variety.

Chicken and steak are a natural starting point

Chicken and steak make an easy combination for a mixed group.

Chicken gives guests a familiar option, while steak adds a richer choice for people who want something more substantial.

Having both also means guests can mix and match instead of committing to a single protein.

Add shrimp for a little more variety

If your group enjoys seafood, shrimp can bring another dimension to the table.

It also works well when you want the meal to feel a little more varied without adding several completely different dishes.

Use combination fajitas when sharing is the goal

Combination fajitas can make the decision easier when guests want to try more than one protein.

RJ Mexican Cuisine currently offers a combination of steak, chicken and shrimp.

For a group, this type of option can be especially useful because the table gets several flavors without requiring a separate entrée for every preference.

The goal isn’t maximum variety.

It’s enough variety that everyone has something they want to eat.

Build the rest of the meal around the fajitas

Once you’ve decided on the main dish, think about what people will be eating before and alongside it.

A good game-day spread usually works best when it has different things happening at the table.

Start with something people can snack on when they arrive. Then bring out the main meal once everyone has settled in.

Chips and salsa are an obvious starting point. Guacamole, queso or nachos can add another layer without competing with the fajitas.

RJ’s current dinner menu includes house-made chips and salsa, guacamole, chile con queso, nachos and quesadillas.

The other advantage of appetizers is that they don’t require everyone to sit down and eat at exactly the same moment.

People can grab a chip, try some guacamole and keep talking while the game builds toward kickoff.

Think about margaritas separately from the food

Once the food is covered, think about the drinks.

Margaritas are an obvious pairing with fajitas, but a group order doesn’t have to mean ordering the same drink for everyone.

Start by figuring out who will actually be drinking.

Then consider whether you want one familiar margarita option or enough variety for guests to choose something different.

RJ Mexican Cuisine currently promotes handcrafted margaritas, and its website lists a Monday-through-Friday happy hour from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. featuring $5 margaritas.

If your game-day gathering happens during that period, check the current offer when making your plans, since promotions can change.

And for guests who aren’t drinking, keep the rest of the beverage selection simple. Water, soft drinks or other non-alcoholic options can sit alongside the margaritas without making the drink order unnecessarily complicated.

Decide whether you want to dine in or bring the food to the party

Not every game-day gathering needs the same setup.

If you’re meeting a few friends for dinner before or during the game, dining at the restaurant may be the easiest option. Everyone arrives, sits down and orders without anyone having to organize the food at home.

For a larger watch party, catering can make more sense.

This is particularly true when you’re hosting at an office, private venue or someone’s home and don’t want the host spending the first quarter carrying plates in and out of the kitchen.

RJ Mexican Cuisine currently offers catering as well as private dining and event options in Downtown Dallas. Its website also lists a private room and banquet room that can accommodate up to 30 guests.

The important thing is to decide on the format early.

A restaurant reservation, pickup order and catered event all require different types of planning.

Give yourself some breathing room before kickoff

One of the easiest mistakes to make is planning the food around the exact start of the game.

Don’t.

If you’re picking up the food, allow enough time to get everything back to the house or venue, arrange the table and put the drinks where people can reach them.

If you’re dining at the restaurant, consider the reservation time and how much time you want to spend eating before the game begins.

For a larger event, contact the restaurant in advance with the details they need to plan properly.

RJ’s event inquiry process asks for information such as the event date, start time, party size and event type.

That information gives the restaurant a much clearer picture of what you’re planning than simply saying, “We’re having a party.”

Keep the order simple

If you’re still not sure what to order, use a straightforward formula.

Start with the fajitas

Choose a couple of proteins that represent the preferences of the group.

Add another option if the group is larger or has more varied tastes.

Add something to snack on

Chips and salsa are an easy starting point.

Then decide whether the group needs guacamole, queso, nachos or another appetizer.

Make sure the table is complete

The fajitas are only part of the experience. Make sure there are enough tortillas, toppings and sides to make the meal work for everyone.

Finish with drinks

Margaritas can be the centerpiece for guests who want them, while non-alcoholic options make the table more inclusive.

That’s it.

You don’t need a 20-item menu to make a game-day gathering memorable.

Let the food work with the game

The best game-day meal is one that doesn’t constantly interrupt the reason everyone got together.

That’s one reason fajitas work so well.

People can build their own plates, try different proteins and go back for another bite without needing a formal dinner service.

The food becomes part of the atmosphere rather than something everyone has to stop what they’re doing to manage.

That fits naturally with RJ Mexican Cuisine’s focus on bringing authentic Mexican flavors and hospitality to the dining experience in Downtown Dallas.

A good game-day order doesn’t have to be complicated

Whether you’re feeding a few friends or organizing a larger watch party, the formula is pretty simple.

Choose a few fajita options instead of trying to please everyone individually. Add shareable appetizers for the beginning of the gathering. Make sure the table has what guests need to build their fajitas. Then round everything out with margaritas and other drinks.

Most importantly, plan ahead.

Once kickoff arrives, the last thing anyone wants is to be figuring out where dinner is coming from.

With the food organized ahead of time, you can sit down, grab a margarita, pass around the fajitas and actually enjoy the game.

That’s what game day should feel like.